Raw
by obsessedwithstabler
Summary: What I think should've happened at the end of Raw...


Okay, before I get reviews about the injury Elliot sustains in this story, I KNOW he was shot in his left elbow! I tweaked that cause really, it's scarier to a lovesick partner...

This story is for Rachel, Gabbyabby, and all the fans of the awesome duo that is Elliot and Olivia!

Disclaimer: They ain't mine. If they were... Well, let's not go there right now... (grins evilly)

As she was approaching the courtroom, Olivia heard the gunshots, and she stopped in her tracks. Screams shattered the silence in the hallways, and Olivia grabbed her gun from its resting place at her hip. Taking a deep breath, she threw the courtroom doors open and ran into the room, gun drawn.

As she scanned the room, only one thought was on her mind: finding Elliot.

Turning her head, she saw a young boy drop to the ground, a gun in his hand. Whirling around, Olivia saw Casey Novak in a far corner, and she ran to the ADA's side.

"Casey, are you hurt?" Olivia demanded breathlessly, lowering her gun to her side.

"I'm fine," Casey said shakily. "But John's hurt."

"Where is he, Casey?"

"Over there," she said, pointing a shaking finger.

Olivia followed Casey's hand and saw Munch lying on the ground. Grabbing Casey's arm, Olivia said, "You stay here with John. I gotta find Elliot."

By now, the courtroom was nearly empty, and Olivia continued to search for Elliot. Scanning the floor of the courtroom, Olivia saw someone lying on the floor, half hidden by a bench.

"Elliot!" she cried, dropping to her knees beside her partner. Reholstering her gun, she reached a trembling hand out and placed it on Elliot's neck, searching for a pulse. As soon as she found it, she let out a cry of relief. It was there, but it was fast and thready. Ripping his jacket off, she ran her hands over his chest, and bile rose in her throat when her fingertips grazed a bloody hole in his shoulder.

"Elliot! God, Elliot, can you hear me?" she demanded, applying pressure to his shoulder with both of her hands. He was deathly still beneath her hands, and she murmured words of encouragement as she continued to apply pressure to his shoulder.

"Detective Benson?" a voice boomed.

Olivia looked up and shouted, "Over here! I need some help, now!" Seconds later, two men with a stretcher were at her side.

"What happened?" one of the paramedics demanded.

"He was shot once in the shoulder," she answered, willing her voice not to break. Moving her hand away, Olivia watched as the paramedics went to work. A few moments later, one of the men said, "Let's get him out of here, now!"

As they lifted Elliot onto a stretcher and raced him out of the courtroom, Olivia ran alongside them, fiercely gripping Elliot's cold, limp hand.

"I'm riding," she said firmly, leaping into the back of the ambulance behind the paramedic. As the ambulance barreled down the highway, Olivia continued to hold Elliot's hand, keeping watch over him.

EOEOEOEOEOEOEOEOEOEOEOEOEOEOEOEOEOEOEO

Later that night, Olivia sat in a stiff chair beside Elliot's hospital bed, hypnotized by the rise and fall of his chest. Half a cup of cold coffee and an untouched sandwich sat on the stand beside the bed, and different magazines were strewn over the floor. Several hours had passed since the surgeon had walked out of the OR and announced that, although there had been some minor complications, Elliot would be fine.

But Olivia hadn't believed it until she had walked into the room and seen him with her own eyes. Until she had seen his chest rise and fall rhythmically with every breath he took.

A small moan snapped her back to the present, and Olivia leaned forward, taking Elliot's hand in hers. She watched as his eyelids fluttered, then opened. At first she could see the fear in his eyes, but as his eyes met hers, a slow smile crossed both of their faces.

"Hey, partner," she said softly, squeezing his hand. "Welcome back to the land of the living."

"How long was I out?"

"A couple of hours. How are you feeling?"

"Like I've been shot," he groaned, the pain washing over him.

"Elliot, lay back down," she commanded, placing a gentle hand on his chest as he tried to sit up. For a few moments, they sat in a comfortable silence. A huge yawn escaped her lips, and he patted the bed.

"You're exhausted. Why don't you come lay down?" he suggested with a concerned smile. Not in a position to argue, Olivia slowly climbed onto the bed, carefully stretching out sideways beside him.

Lying with her back against his side, Olivia reveled in the warmth his body provided, and she said, "I'll stay here with you, but you have to get some sleep, too. Okay?"

"Okay." God, he loved her.

"I'm sorry, El," Olivia said softly after a minute of deafening silence.

"Why? You don't have anything to be sorry for," he said softly, stroking her arm.

"I wasn't there. I was supposed to have your back, and I didn't." She was glad he couldn't see the tear roll down her cheek.

"Hey, this wasn't your fault," he chided, continuing to stroke her arm.

She didn't answer.

Several more minutes passed in silence, and he was certain she had fallen asleep.

"Love you, Liv," he whispered into her ear. He finally confessed out loud what his heart had been screaming for the past year.

Olivia felt her heart skip a beat at his confession. Had he really said that he loved her? There was only one way to find out. She took a breath and turned over on her side to face him.

"I love you too, Elliot," she said softly, gazing into his sky blue eyes. Moving his arm, he wrapped it around her, pulling her closer against his uninjured side.

She pressed her lips softly against his, then buried her face in his chest, listening to his heart beat.

In no time they were asleep, their bodies touching from head to toe, their chests rising and falling in a rhythm only partners and lovers could have. Elliot's face was buried in her neck, his arm wrapped around her waist.

And when the morning sun rose, they were still asleep, Elliot's arm wrapped protectively around Olivia, her head tucked under his chin.

The End...

A/N: I prolly should've pointed this out before... I don't mention Kathy and the kids in MOST of my stories. That doesn't mean I'm pretending they never exsisted. It's just more convenient. Okay, enough of my rambling. Go click on that little purple button and gimme a piece of your mind!


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